In portable communications devices, antennas of various types are used to facilitate the propagation of radio frequency (RF) signals. The choice of antenna used for a particular device is typically dependent upon the size of the device, the environment in which it is to be used, and the communications application.
For example, in certain circumstances it may be inconvenient to use (or fully extend) a whip antenna. In the absence of any other antenna the performance of the device would then be seriously impaired.
A problem with this arrangement is that as it is impractical and inefficient to mount more than one antenna on each device, a compromise is often required between these various considerations, resulting in a less than optimum arrangement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,001 discloses and antenna which may be folded between two positions. However, when in the folded position the antenna is of the same basic type although the plane of polarisation changes from vertical to horizontal.
This invention seeks to provide an antenna assembly which mitigates the above mentioned disadvantages.